Meetings of the Scientific Association of Great Britain. 69 
feebleness of man when alone, and his great efficiency when acting 
in combination; to man’s power over the brute elements; and to 
various natural phenomena whose investigation had been begun or 
extended, in consequence of hints given at former meetings of this 
association. He mentioned particularly, the fusion of bodies, to be 
sustained, probably during ten years, for the purpose of ascertaining 
the effects of long continued heat, and to observations on the tides, 
which are in’progress, and he happily vindicated the good moral ten- 
dency of physical investigations. Sir Thomas Brisbane, on taking 
the chair, made an appropriate address, and complimented his pre- 
decessors. Professor Robinson then stated the plan for the business 
of the meeting, and for the accommodation of the members. Profes- 
sor Forbes gave an address, explanatory of the objects of the associa- 
tion,—recapitulating what had been already accomplished, or what 
is in progress. 
Asit is impossible, consistently with our limits, to give a detailed 
account of the doings of this important meeting, we can select only 
a few prominent facts, under the most important heads, and refer the 
reader to the fuller account contained in the Edinburgh New Philo- 
sophical Journal for Oct. 1834, conducted by Professor Jameson ; 
and to the volume which will doubtless be published, in which at 
least the most important papers will be given at large, while on the 
present occasion, we cannot give even a full catalogue of the titles. 
As on former occasions, the meeting was divided into sections 
which met separately. in the mornings, and in the evening a report of 
their doings was made to the general meeting; this meeting was 
held in the large assembly room, and there, strangers were allowed 
to be present, and among them were many ladies. 
MATHEMATICS AND GENERAL PHYSICS. 
3 Chairman, Rev. Prof. WHEweEtu. 
Sept. 10.—Rain.—Prof. Phillips read a second report of the 
quantity of rain, observed by himself, and Mr. Gray, to have fallen, 
at different elevations, above the ground. 
Edinburgh Observatory—An Observatory having been erected, 
on the Calton Hill in Edinburgh, at an expense of £5000, its situa- 
tion is stated by Prof. Robinson to be improper, and as Sir David 
Brewster mentions, in the same connexion, the decay of the object 
glass of the transit instrument, and Mr. Arago stated facts of this 
nature, within his knowledge, we are led to presume, that the effect 
may be a chemical one, arising from the action of the marine air on 
